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Monday, 22 February 2016

Hypocrisy and Diplomacy

Lack
of agreement on Russian draft resolution on protecting Syria’s
sovereignty may complicate negotiations on peaceful settlement in the
region, first deputy chairman of Russian Federation Council’s
Committee on Defense and Security Frants Klintsevich said on
Saturday. The United States, United Kingdom France did not support
the draft resolution out of principle, Klintsevich said. “So they
in fact supported Turkey in its aggressive actions, once again
demonstrating their Atlantic solidarity,” he noted. “US, UK
,France and Ukraine, at least for now, were not able or, more likely,
did not want to make a step away from bloc positions. They continue
acting in the framework of ‘us-them’ paradigm which is
characteristic of the Cold War,” the lawmaker added. “I am afraid
this can seriously complicate peace talks on Syria by pushing the
situation in this country to an absolute dead-end,” he said.

At
the same time, “Russia is open for cooperation on resolving the
Syrian problem, including in the framework of UN Security Council,”
Klintsevich added.

Diplomats
said that six members of UN Security Council, including US, UK,
France and Ukraine, rejected the draft resolution proposed by Russia
at the session. Before the session, envoys of two UN Security Council
member countries said that the Russian document had no future.

The
draft resolution submitted by Russia calls on all countries to stop
strikes at Syria, respect its sovereignty and “leave all attempts
or plans” to stage a military invasion of the country.

UN
SC members refuse to acknowledge Russia’s role in Syrian settlement

According
to Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the international committee of
the Russian parliament’s upper house, the lack of support for the
Russian resolution on Syria from six members of the UN Security
Council proves they do not want to acknowledge the fact of Russia’s
work on settlement of the Syrian crisis or to give to it the
initiative in this matter.

The
senator hopes “this refusal is only temporary and not final, it
demonstrates damaged pride and desires not to allow Russia lead the
Syrian settlement.”

“To
be more exact: not to allow acknowledgement at the level of UN
Security Council of the evident fact of Russia’s initiatives for
the sake of all,” he said adding common directions in the Syrian
settlement are necessary for further movement towards peace in Syria.
These directions should be based on “respect for sovereignty of
countries and indivisibility in strict compliance with the UN
Charter.”

“Without
recognizing these basic approaches we are bound to approve of any
aggression,” the senator said.

The
reason to block the Russian draft resolution came from a provision
that calls inacceptable “any actions, undermining sovereignty and
territory integrity of Syria.” The provision was not supported by
“the countries, which at the same time are calling for respect of
territory integrity in Ukraine or which even announce sanctions
against Russia, as, they claim, Russia’s respect for that integrity
is not enough.” Moreover, the senator continued, “the US
ambassador to UN said with indignation Russia by its resolution was
only ‘detracting attention’ from the peaceful settlement in
Syria.”

“Thus,
does it mean territory integrity and sovereignty of a country are
minor topics, which do not deserve being even mentioned in the UN
resolutions? I am curious to learn – is Kiev aware of it already?”

Russia’s
draft resolution.

A
draft resolution of the United Nations Security Council that was
initiated by Russia calls to stop shelling of the Syrian territory,
respect its sovereignty and drop all plans and attempts at armed
invasion of its territory.

The
document reiterates resolute commitment to Syria’s sovereignty,
independence and territorial integrity and the principles of the
United Nations Charter.

The
draft resolution contains no mentions of Turkey’s involvement, but
condemns “ongoing shelling of the Syrian territory” and the flow
of foreign terrorists and illegal arms supplies in violation of the
United Nations Security Council resolutions with the connivance of
certain states, including Syria’s neighbors.

The
one-page draft demands that Syria’s sovereignty be fully respected
and urges to immediately stop any trans-border shelling and
interference and to drop all attempts or plans of foreign military
invasion of the Syrian territory.

Before
the draft resolution was submitted with the UN Security Council
diplomats from the United States and France, Samantha Power and
Francois Delattre respectively, announced that the Russia-initiated
draft had no future